Prescribed Wildland Fire near Bastrop, TX

Video recorded 02-17-2011. Prescribed burn on a ~30 acre field of Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) with patches of Prunus (genus) and Post Oak (Quercus stellata). The burn was part of a multi-faceted research study coordinated by the Texas Forest Service and the Texas Army National Guard.

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Science & Technology

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• VID00360

[TheBotdog]

I uploaded this video and would like to clarify for folks who seem confused/appalled by what you're viewing.

This was a controlled burn orchestrated in cooperation with the TX Army National Guard, the Texas Forest Service, and the Bastrop Fire Department. The equipment was intentionally placed there to measure air and soil temperature, wind speed/direction, ember production and dispersal (that's what the white structures are there for), etc.

[TheBotdog]

A lot of planning, preliminary field work, and waiting occurred for the RIGHT conditions to initiate this controlled (i.e., prescribed) burn (2 years!). Faculty/researchers from UT and Texas State (i.e., myself) were also on site to document the event and collect data so we could validate models of fire intensity and rates of spread. Experiments like this are necessary to make sure the models work given specific parameters (i.e., fuel loads, meteorological conditions, topography, etc.)

[TheBotdog]

The area we are all standing in WAS back-burned the week prior – notice that the bluestem stops abruptly just before the white structure. The anticipated rate of spread for this fire was much longer. We expected it to take at least an hour from ignition source to the white structure. The surprising (and terrifying) aspect of this particular fire is that it did NOT behave as everyone had expected it to. Even still, this type of fire behavior provides very valuable information.

[TheBotdog]

The area we are all standing in WAS back-burned the week prior – notice that the bluestem stops abruptly just before the white structure. The anticipated rate of spread for this fire was much longer. We expected it to take at least an hour from ignition source to the white structure. The surprising (and terrifying) aspect of this particular fire is that it did NOT behave as everyone had expected it to. Even still, this type of fire behavior provides very valuable information.

[TheBotdog]

Fire may not be mysterious to some of you, but fire behavior is. Given the danger and risk presented by the wildland-urban interface and the data/information prescribed burns like this generate, I would expect more folks to understand the value in terms of preventing loss of life and property.

[TheBotdog]

It was not a sad event, nor would I characterize our behavior as amused. It was actually quite frightening given the intensity (and misbehavior if you will) of the flames. Our amusement is best characterized by chuckles of nervous relief.

[royaldelight1]

This isn't the fire of today. This fire was deliberate and for training/research reasons.

[mric333]

it never claimed to be current

what the hell were they {not} thinking

beautiful smile

[RobertMOdell]

why didn't they set any back fires? Do they want their equipment to get smoke damaged? Not wise. Fire isn't THAT mysterious.

[malevolentmistake]

Respond to this video... the title even says "prescribed burn" this video was planned.

[malevolentmistake]

@royalelissa this was feburary of 2011! this was almost a year ago! look at the description.